THE CRITIC 2024

Category: Action Movies

The Critic (2024), directed by Anand Tucker and based on Anthony Quinn’s novel Curtain Call, is a British period thriller set in 1934 London. The film stars Ian McKellen as Jimmy Erskine, a venomous and flamboyant theatre critic for The Daily Chronicle. Erskine delights in savaging plays and actors that fail to meet his high standards, relishing the power his reviews wield over the theatre world.

The narrative unfolds as Erskine's position becomes precarious with the arrival of the new owner, Viscount David Brooke (Mark Strong), who is keen on modernizing the paper and curbing Erskine's harsh critiques. In a desperate bid to maintain his influence, Erskine manipulates Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), a struggling actress, into a compromising situation to blackmail Brooke. This entanglement leads to a web of deceit, betrayal, and murder, drawing in various characters, including Erskine's secretary Tom (Alfred Enoch), who navigates the complexities of race and loyalty in a society rife with prejudice.

The film delves into themes of ambition, power, and the moral compromises individuals make to preserve their status. McKellen's portrayal of Erskine is marked by a blend of sharp wit and underlying vulnerability, capturing the character's complex nature. While the film's third act has been critiqued for its melodramatic turn, the performances and period details have been lauded for adding depth to the narrative.

The Critic premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023 and was released in the United Kingdom on September 13, 2024. The film has been noted for its exploration of the 1930s London theatre scene and the societal challenges of the era, particularly concerning LGBTQ+ issues.

Uploaded on: May 16, 2025, 1:07 pm

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